The Auto Industry: In Survival Mode

President Obama's automobile task force is in Michigan this week to assess the so-called “viability plans” of Chrysler and General Motors. Meantime, auto sales have taken a nosedive. GM is down by 53 percent since last year, Ford by 48% and Chrysler by 44%. Toyota sales are off 40% and Honda has dropped by 38%. How important is the price of gas? How difficult is getting a loan? Are car sales tied to housing? We talk with the world's biggest Ford dealer and others about the present and future of the automobile. What would “an intelligent transportation system” look like?